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AMAZON.COM:
Critically acclaimed guitarist/songwriter, famed Yankee BERNIE WILLIAMS is set for his sophomore album MOVING FORWARD. The Puerto Rico native, classically-trained musician developed his love for playing guitar alongside baseball, while listening to salsa, merengue and 80s rock. Williams played his 16-year career with the New York Yankees where he was a 4x World Series Champion and a 5x All Star (also among the Yankees all-time leaders in every major batting category). This album features original instrumentals written/performed by Williams, playing alongside musicians such as Dave Weckl (drums), Mike Stern (guitar), Scott Henderson (guitar), Dave Koz (sax), Giovanni Hidalgo (percussion). A special collaboration with Jon Secada and a track with Bruce Springsteen, Patti Scialfa and Bernie performing Glory Days are included. MOVING FORWARD is co-produced by Williams and Loren Harriet - who also helmed Bernie's 2003 acclaimed debut The Journey Within, that debuted #3 on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz Album Chart, #8 on Heatseekers, while being the 11th best seller in New York that year.
NCNewsPress.com:
Former New York Yankees star Bernie Williams has been an accomplished musician for quite some time now. A classically trained guitarist, Williams released his debut album in 2003 ("The Journey Within").
His latest, "Moving Forward," has its moments, but unfortunately, much of it seems destined for the doctor's office waiting room.
The best work is mainly done solo. The sublime "Lullaby for Beatriz" floats on a cloud of acoustic guitar, and Williams puts a melancholy jazz spin on "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" that makes it sound like a wistful look back at his career, even opening with a stadium announcer giving the seventh-inning spiel.
He also succeeds more when he hews closer to his Puerto Rican roots on uptempo numbers like "Songo" and "Que Rico El Mambo."
Too many of the full-band numbers have an elevator-music feel to them, and do we really need not one but two versions of one of the touchstones of schmaltzy early-'90s R&B, Jon Secada's "Just Another Day" which feature Secada re-hashing his one hit in two languages?
"Moving Forward" might be pleasant listening, but given Williams' talent, it isn't true to its title.
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